The legal proceedings in the alleged Rs 200-crore money laundering case involving actress Jacqueline Fernandez and alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekar moved a step forward on Wednesday after a Delhi court formally framed charges against them and several other accused.Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma framed charges against Chandrashekar, Jacqueline Fernandez, and 15 others in the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) money laundering case. In a separate matter investigated by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell, the court also framed charges against Chandrashekar and 20 other accused under various provisions, including the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).Jacqueline Fernandez, Chandrashekar, and several co-accused were present in court during the proceedings. All accused pleaded not guilty and opted to face trial.The development follows two orders passed by the court on May 30, in which it concluded that there was sufficient prima facie material on record to proceed against the accused. In the ED case, the court observed that the accused persons “have to be charged with the offence (of money laundering) under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), punishable under Section 4 of the PMLA.”In the Delhi Police case, the court directed that charges be framed against Chandrashekar for offences including impersonating a public servant, extortion, cheating, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy, and violations under the Information Technology Act. He was also charged under MCOCA provisions relating to organised crime and possession of disproportionate wealth linked to an organised crime syndicate.The court similarly ordered charges against Chandrashekar’s wife, Leena Paulose, for several offences, excluding the charge of impersonating a public servant. Additionally, 17 other accused have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the IT Act, and MCOCA, while three others face charges of cheating and criminal conspiracy.MCOCA, enacted in 1999, was introduced to tackle organised crime syndicates and terror-related activities. The law grants investigating agencies enhanced powers to monitor, investigate, and prosecute criminal networks operating in an organised manner.Jacqueline Fernandez was named as an accused for the first time in a supplementary chargesheet filed by the ED during its investigation into the money laundering case. According to the agency, the actress remained in regular contact with Chandrashekar and allegedly received expensive gifts through his associate Pinky Irani.Investigators have alleged that Chandrashekar operated a sophisticated criminal network from inside prison, posing as senior government officials from departments including the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Law and Justice. Using spoofed calls, encrypted communication platforms, and fake identities, he allegedly deceived complainant Aditi Singh and her family into transferring large sums of money.The ED claims that Chandrashekar generated proceeds of crime exceeding Rs 200 crore through extortion, impersonation, cheating, and criminal intimidation before allegedly concealing and laundering the funds with the assistance of his associates.The Delhi Police case originated from a complaint filed by Aditi Singh, who alleged that she received a phone call on June 15, 2020, from a person claiming to be a senior official in the Union Law Ministry. The caller allegedly offered assistance in resolving legal issues concerning her husband and her companies.According to investigators, the accused subsequently orchestrated an elaborate conspiracy by impersonating high-ranking government officials and allegedly extorted approximately Rs 217 crore from Singh and her family over multiple transactions.Following technical surveillance and investigation, police identified Chandrashekar as the alleged mastermind behind the operation. At the time, he was already lodged in Delhi’s Rohini Jail in connection with another high-profile case involving allegations that he accepted money from AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dinakaran while falsely claiming he could help retain the party’s iconic “two leaves” election symbol.Chandrashekar was arrested by the Delhi Police in 2017 and has remained at the center of multiple investigations ever since.
